JJ Slevin: the inside track on my Cheltenham rides
By Racing TV
Last Updated: Sun 1 Mar 2026
by Graham Clark
JJ Slevin believes Talk The Talk is the best young horse he has ever ridden and admits he wouldn’t swap him for anything else in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle.
The 33-year-old will bid to get the Cheltenham Festival off to a flyer aboard the Joseph O’Brien-trained gelding in the Grade One curtain raiser on March 10.
After making a winning debut over hurdles at Limerick, the Born To Sea gelding then backed that up with a Grade Three success in the Jack McInerney Memorial Hurdle at Fairyhouse.
The Simon Munir and Isaac Souede-owned six-year-old looked set to collect a first Grade One success in the Paddy Power Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown over Christmas until suffering final flight fall with the race at his mercy.
However, he made up for that mishap when securing a last gasp victory back at Leopardstown last month in the Tattersalls Ireland Novice Hurdle, which has fuelled Slevin’s confidence heading into the £150,000 prize on Tuesday week.
JJ Slevin has an exciting ride to look forward to in Talk The Talk. (Healy Racing)
Slevin said: “He is still in both the Turners and the Supreme, and we will look at both, but I’d say we are looking more towards the Supreme.
“He is obviously a very talented horse and he is probably unlucky not to be unbeaten over hurdles.
“It looks like a good Supreme this year and it is good we are going there with as good a chance as anyone. I wouldn’t swap him for anything and I’m looking forward to him.
“He did really well to win the last day at Leopardstown as he was back a long way in a steadily run race.
“It was proper heavy winter ground, and to win where he come from was a very good performance, and only a good horse could do that.
“He always gave me quite a good feel, but still I was a long way back and it is hard to make up ground in soft ground.
“Horses were also going forward in front of me so it is hard to pass them as well. He managed to overcome them things, and that is what a good horse can do.
“He is the best young horse that I’ve probably ever ridden. He is streets ahead of most of the novices that Joseph has had so he is a fair horse.”
Watch a full replay of Talk The Talk's last gasp victory at the Dublin Racing Festival.
While Talk The Talk, who is a general 4-1 chance for the Supreme, is yet to race around Cheltenham unlike some of his rivals, the Grade One-winning rider is confident he will have no problems in handling the track.
Slevin said: “He is a very uncomplicated horse that has plenty of speed and that is what you need around Cheltenham. He is not slow so he should be able to travel well in a race like the Supreme.
“Whatever horse wins it will have improved from their last run and that is what you need to do through your novice season, and that is what he has done.
“Every horse probably needs to step up to win the Supreme, and when you look back at the race over the last few years you will probably know the horses back to tenth in each one as it is a very strong race.
“This year is particularly strong and whatever wins it will be on a real upwards curve.
“I think nicer ground would suit him better as it would guarantee a nice honest pace for him, but as we’ve seen he acts on anything.
“It would be brilliant if we could win this. Cheltenham is always a hard place to win at, but if I could win the Supreme it would be massive.”
At the other end of the age scale Slevin will partner Home By The Lee for the fifth time in the Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle on Thursday, March 12th.
The Fame And Glory gelding will enter the race on the back of a win having landed the Grade Two John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle at Gowran Park last time out.
And while only two 11-year-olds have won the Grade One contest in the past 40 years, Slevin believes Home By The Lee, who is also trained by O'Brien, is by no means a back number.
He said: “He has been a great horse and has had four goes at the Stayers’ Hurdle. He has been placed in it before, but he unseated me in it last year.
“He is going to be a big price, but who knows what will happen. He could easily be placed in it again and if he did that we would be very happy.
“He won the Galmoy last time, and is tough as nails. He has been a marvellous horse all the way along and if you aren’t in it, you can’t win it.
“He will give it a good go and hopefully he can run well. It would be unreal if he could win it and Sire Du Berlais won it as an eleven year-old a few years ago.”
"He could easily be placed in it again," - Home By The Lee will return to the Stayers' Hurdle after unseating in the race 12 months ago.
On the same day Home By The Lee takes to the track, Slevin could also be in Grade One action aboard Banbridge in the Ryanair Chase, provided the ground is suitable.
Although the Doyen gelding, who is another inmate at O’Brien’s, also holds an entry in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup on March 13, a race he finished seventh in 12 months ago, Slevin believes the two and a half mile test 24 hours earlier is the more likely target.
Slevin said: “He is in good form, but everyone knows he wants good ground. If the ground is nice he will probably go to the Ryanair if not he will wait for another day.
“I would be surprised if he runs in the Gold Cup again. I think the Ryanair will cut up as I think the first few in the betting in the Ryanair will go for the Gold Cup. If it is decent ground he would have a live chance.
“It was a great run in the King George at Christmas, but he has been a great horse to the yard.
“He won the Martin Pipe around there over hurdles, and the Arkle trial at the November meeting in his novice chase season.
“When things are in his favour he is a very good horse as he can do it over any trip really.”
Banbridge has a "live chance" in the Ryanair if the ground is decent, says JJ Slevin.
Outside of his mounts for O’Brien at the four-day meeting, Slevin has nominated the Martin Brassil-trained It’s Only A Game as a horse to keep a close eye on in the Weatherbys Champion Bumper.
He added: “He won his bumper at Fairyhouse in November and then he was fourth in a Grade Two at Leopardstown. It was a messy sort of race and he ran well.
“He will be a good price, but I think he is quite a nice horse and he could run well in what is not a massively strong year for bumper horses.
“Willie (Mullins) would usually have ten in it that could all have good chances, but he only has three or four this year, which is still plenty.
“He had a run at the Punchestown Festival last year, and he has had plenty of time to mature and develop, so hopefully he will run well.”
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